Wings and Wheels Society.


Avon Valley Railway Steam and WW1 Centenary Gala 10-11-2018.

Alongside the rest of the nation, the Avon Valley Railway Heritage Trust is commemorating the centenary of the end of WW1 during this year's ... as well as its end of year Steam Gala. On the Station at Bitton they have commemorated the Midland Railway dead from WW1 by 2,833 poppies on display with a list of honour, and history boards. Also 2 locomotives that carried troops in the South East of England will attend (with the home steam fleet), these are two ex LSWR locomotive's a Beattie Well tank and a Terrier tank from the K and;ESR, and both being constructed in the 1880's! A touchingly brilliant gala, with a well thought out commemorative twist, on a special Armistice Day weekend, well done Avon Valley Railway folk's a top job as usual. History Note: In the early 20th century, the Midland Railway was one of the largest railway companies in Britain. The railway company had its headquarters in Derby, establishing itself there more comprehensively than any other railway company in any other town in Britain. In the First World War, the Midland released 23,000 of its employees (30 percent of its workforce) to join the armed forces of whom, 2833 were killed and another 7,000 wounded.

Copyright of all pictures in this gallery belong to R Kelsey.